Let The Threads be Intertwined
by Caravelight
Summary: One shot fic, highly colored by The HalfBlood Prince. Set at The Malfoy Manor, several hours before the catastrophic Spinner's End...


**Let The Threads be Intertwined**  
by Lustreole

DISCLAIMER: The characters belong to J.K Rowling, except Ziphy whom I invented. I do not make any commercial profit from the fic. **It contains major spoilers from _Harry Potter and the Half-Blood Prince_**. So if you have not read or finished reading the book yet, you are forewarned.

To **Afreen **_the_ **Patronus** who's a great fic writer,

To **Sonia **and** Ryan** who adore the series,

To **the HPN-ers in general**,

I dedicate this fic.

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**Let the Threads be Intertwined**

by Lustreole

The main events in the following fic took place in the night of 'Spinner's End' chapter.>

Narcissa Malfoy twisted her fingers. She was beautiful; everyone said so, even those who disliked her. Yet with her long blond hair down to her waist, her delicate face ashen, her gray eyes watery and her lower lip bit, she was a was perfect mélange of sadness. One could have mistaken her as The Goddess of Melancholy. She did not care.

To and fro she walked before the fireplace of The Malfoy Manor's large and dimly lit sitting room. Narcissa was expecting a guest, and the lateness of the latter caused Narcissa to conjecture that, perhaps, the guest was mired on their way. As the minutes went by, she looked more disconsolate than ever.

The reason for this need was Narcissa's series of misfortune. Lucius her husband was presently imprisoned in Azkaban. All was due to an incident at The Ministry of Magic—the incident that roused The Dark Lord's wrath. Furthermore, from what Narcissa could absorb, Lucius also made another mistake beforehand. He caused the destruction of one of The Dark Lord's most precious possessions. What the possession was, Narcissa knew not.

'Lucius utilized the possession to discredit Albus Dumbledore without The Dark Lord's consent... But we never thought 'he' would return!' thought Narcissa miserably. 'Why must we take all the blame?' And then she stopped hastily before she questioned The Dark Lord's judgments further. She had heard of his reputation for Legilimency.

Almost immediately after Lucius' imprisonment, a Muggle-lover clown (for 'clown' he was to Narcissa) named Arthur Weasley and some other Ministry lackeys raided the Manor. Although they did not find any Dark Arts artifacts (astute Draco had forced Mr Borgin from Borgin and Burkes to keep them), they left after messing the entire manor. Narcissa was stricken and the raid enraged Draco, but it was meaningless to attempt a protestation because the Ministry had disdained the name Malfoy.

As if the raid alone was not enough to dishearten Narcissa, three nights ago another catastrophe occurred. It nearly caused Narcissa to crave death. She furtively pondered whether this calamity was The Dark Lord's idea of punishment for Lucius. And Draco was the key to realize the idea. The fact that Draco was full of pride about his involvement in this idea made everything felt ten thousand times worse for Narcissa.

Sixteen-year-old Draco was sleeping in his locked bedroom. He did not habitually sleep before dawn, yet his mother had administered a Sleeping Potion into his dinner. Narcissa felt guilty for sedating her own son, but she had to. Draco did not need to know whom his mother met and what they were going to discuss that night.

Narcissa stopped her traipsing and ascended the stairs to her son's bedroom. She opened his door with Alohomora Charm, and the key turns in a faint click. She peeped and saw him fast asleep. She almost cried at the sight. There he was, his only son, sleeping in peace, as if the disastrous day never occurred. He was sixteen, but to a mother children were children no matter how old they were.

Narcissa had been a good potioneer since her Hogwarts days. She had calculated the strength of her potion. Draco would not wake up until the morning came. She heaved a sigh, closed the door with a non-verbal spell, and went downstairs. Before she realized what she saw, her expected guest was already in the middle of the sitting room, looking up at her.

"Cissy!" said the guest, a woman in heavy black traveling cloak.

"Bella!" Narcissa almost shrieked.

Bellatrix Lestrange's looks were a contrast from her sister's. People said her black eyes, long black hair and icy trenchant gaze might have made her The Queen of Shadows. At this time the eyes showed mingled curiosity and slight anxiety.

"Why didn't you knock on the front door? What were you Apparating for? I was shocked!" Narcissa reprimanded her sister.

"Didn't your write in your letter _'Bella, come here quickly. I need to talk to you'?_ People like _us_ cannot use the Floo Powder, what with those meddlers at The Floo Panel watch over the fireplaces! So, I had to penetrate your Anti-Apparition charms and came in without further ado!" Bella lifted her long eyebrows.

"Still, you could have told our house-elf that you've come. And kindly keep your voice down, Draco is asleep upstairs."

"_Asleep_?" Bellatrix gasped in aversion. "Am I to understand that my nephew, the heir to The House of Black and the name of Malfoy, is _already_ asleep before the bell tolls ten times?"

"It is _not_ his habit, I can assure you!" answered Narcissa, stung by her sister's implied opinion that she raised Draco meekly. "I administered a Sleeping Potion to him. I don't wish for a debate with him!"

Bellatrix realized that her sister was affronted and steered the conversation, "Cissy, I don't trust house-elves. They are low-breeds. Where is it?" she looked around, unmistakably suspect that the house-elf might be prying on them.

"Why, at the kitchens of course! I told her to stay there if there is no knock on the door, and I believe I forbid her to eavesdrop. Do you _honestly_ imagine that I will let her overhear us, Bella?" said Narcissa heatedly.

Narcissa was surprised with her bad mood. Bellatrix took a deep breath. But it was not their custom to apologize to anyone, not even to each other, so they did not.

"This is not what I was going to talk about," Narcissa said after some seconds in silence.

"Say what you wanted to say. Yaxley and his equally idiotic friends are waiting for me at the hideaway, but I am not in a hurry. I told them that us sisters must see each other sometimes. Fools," Bellatrix smiled triumphantly, "They haven't heard of Draco's mission yet!"

The mention of her son's mission broke Narcissa's defenses. "Draco! Oh, Draco!" she whispered and wept; her shoulders shook back and forth.

Bellatrix was mortified at the sight of the tears. "_I_ taught him Occlumency myself, and found him a fast learner and a gifted wizard! What would be better than placing him unto The Dark Lord's service! His behavior is befitting as bearer of The Malfoys and The House of Black's names, unlike our obtuse _cousin_!"

Narcissa sobbed, staring dejectedly at her sister. "That's _it_! That's it, Bella! You are alluding to cousin _Regulus_, aren't you?" And when Bellatrix opened her mouth to argue, Narcissa cut her in. "Yes you are! Regulus was scarcely older than Draco when he died, Bella! And Draco could die, too!"

"I was going to point out about his _moron_ of a brother, whom I killed and was an disgrace to the noble and ancient House of Black," Bellatrix said irately. "I forgot we had a cousin called Regulus, why did you remind me? Both of them don't worth remembering, Cissy."

"Regulus died after so short a service. Bella, he must have made a mistake because he was so young!" Narcissa wept anew, "And Draco is only sixteen...He'd just had his birthday three weeks ago..."

"And he will come of age next year! Draco can perform the Unforgivable--no, the_ Invincible_ Curses. _I_ taught him in the dratted Carrows' shack! I recall witnessing pride in your son's eyes when he was initiated a Death Eater!" Bellatrix hissed in one breath.

"Draco was proud because he knows nothing!" wailed Narcissa. And then she checked her voice, but the sobs continued.

"Pray tell me what you mean by 'knows nothing'?" Bellatrix glared. "There is nothing shameful in being a Death Eater!"

"The Dark Lord is wrathful at Lucius! And if Draco _dies_ (at the word 'dies' Narcissa choked) in the mission, it will be an absolute punishment for Lucius!" Narcissa pressed her palms on her face.

"Draco's initiation is not a punishment for Lucius!" Bellatrix hissed sharply.

"You have no idea how deep Lucius and I were distressed because I was such a sickly little creature. We were afraid that Draco might die before he was born"Narcissa glanced at her sister.

"All right, I have no idea. The Dark Lord stationed me in Bulgaria with Rodolphus and Karkaroff! But Cissy, how can you be so fool to believe that The Dark Lord wants my nephew dead?" Bella put her hands on her sister's shoulders.

"Let me go," Narcissa removed her sister's hands. "You do not know, as a baby Draco was often ill, and I was ill, too! We had to strive relentlessly so I might see him grow up. Healing potions, protection spells, talisman and amulets--anything we could attempt. But this mission could cost him his life ("Merlin's sake!" Bellatrix groaned)... Nobody would help him, not even you, his aunt..."

"_Help_ him! For Rasputin's sake, Cissy! The Dark Lord chose him because Draco is not a weakling! Why, those _other_ Death Eaters would have been overjoyed to perform the mission! I am proud of Draco! Why can't you stop complaining?"

Suddenly Narcissa looked as if her sister's words were a moving speech that illuminated her. "Yes...Yes!"

Bellatrix was alarmed. "Why are you acting strangely?"

"_Other_ Death Eaters, Bella! Why not? SEVERUS!" Narcissa clapped her hands.

Bellatrix gasped in utmost revulsion. "_SNAPE!_" she tossed her head and spoke to the lofty ceilings. "Oh! Dumbledore's pet! Must I remind you that Draco's mission is _secret_? How many people in this world do you intend to inform?"

"Severus—" ("Tschah!" said Bellatrix when Narcissa mention Severus Snape by first name) "—will be able to help Draco. Draco esteems him. Severus (Bellatrix snorted) is Draco's Head of House. I know where he lives; Lucius and I often visited him. Thank you, Bella," Narcissa nodded in determination and wiped away the tears from her cheeks and eyes.

"What are you thanking me for? I also happen to know where the _sneak_ lives! But I'm warning you, Cissy, this man--"

Before Bellatrix could finish her words, Narcissa had summoned the Malfoys' present house-elf. "Ziphy!"

Ziphy The House-elf slouched into the room. "Mistress summons Ziphy," she said, bowing until her long snout touched the room's carpet.

"If my son awakes before my returning here, tell him not to worry: his mother only went to visit his aunt and some friends. Do not say anything else!" Narcissa swiped the house-elf's head with her toe. "And for the meantime go back to the kitchens, do your filthy work and never say anything about Bella's visit and my conversation with her! UNDERSTOOD?"

The poor house-elf bowed. "It is understood, Mistress." She disappeared in a crack.

After Ziphy left, Bellatrix resumed her warning. "The mission is secret, and _that sneaky lowlife_ cannot be trusted. And yet you're still determined to meet him?"

"I am, Bella." Narcissa drew her wand from her pocket and said "_Accio Narcissa's traveling cloak!_"

An ivory cloak from the stand close to the door immediately flew into Narcissa's outstretched hands. She put it on along with the hood and Disapparated.

Bellatrix sighed. "I cannot tolerate Lucius' idiocy, but I must stop Cissy from doing anything _equally_ idiotic. I must! Before Draco and us have anything to do with _Snape_." Veiling her hood over her head, she Disapparated to pursue her sister.

**The End**

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**Thanks a zillion for reading**, and **a zillion more for reviewing**, because your feedbacks mean so much for my writing style developments. I mean, please review. 

**Author's Note: **

1. This fanfic is mine. Members of The HPN forum are perhaps familiar with this fic. Originally the title was "Out of the Storm, Into the Hurricane", and it was published under the name Last Unicorn. THIS IS ME. I'm _not_ filching anybody else's work. "Lustreole" is my pen name here. I decided to rework the fic and publish it here, too.

2. I had to make a cliffhanger for the ending because the fic takes place before the sisters visited Snape.

3. In this case I connect the word "spinner" with "spiders". Therefore, in order to link this fic with the particular chapter, I use the words "threads" and "intertwined".

4. I make an allusion to Regulus because recently in an interview Rowling said that Draco's situation is similar to Regulus', years and years ago.

5. "He'd just had his birthday three weeks ago". Draco's birthday is June, 5. According to HP-Lexicon, Spinner's End took place in late June or early July.

6. By writing this fic, I wanted to compare the emotional and physical differences between the two sisters.


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